PROVIDENCE — Hundreds of people jammed a South Providence church Friday where Luis V. Gutiérrez — an Illinois congressman and a national leader in the immigration reform movement — led them in a rousing rally seeking House Republicans’ cooperation in

By KAREN LEE ZINER

PROVIDENCE — Hundreds of people jammed a South Providence church Friday where Luis V. Gutiérrez — an Illinois congressman and a national leader in the immigration reform movement — led them in a rousing rally seeking House Republicans’ cooperation in passing a bill.

And with House Republicans imminently expected to release an immigration plan that could include a path to legal status, “I am excited about this moment,” he said to a crowd at St. Michael the Archangel Church that included dozens of political, religious, labor and community leaders.

U.S. Rep. David N. Cicilline, D-R.I., invited Gutiérrez, a lead House negotiator on a bipartisan immigration reform bill, and Democratic chair of the Immigration Task Force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

This marked Gutiérrez’ third trip to Providence since 2009: he has been crisscrossing the country for the past year to build support for passage in the House.

“Tonight, a new member of the House Judiciary Committee — where this [issue] will be debated, invited me,” Gutiérrez said, speaking of Cicilline’s new position, announced Thursday.

“He is a fighter for immigrants and justice and I am proud to stand with him,” Gutiérrez said. “When we go back, we’re going to negotiate, we’re going to fight, we’re going get the work done.”

But that involves persuading House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to allow a vote on an immigration reform bill to come to the floor. Boehner failed to do so after the Senate passed a historic, sweeping bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill in June that calls for an earned path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented people in this country.

Gutiérrez spoke of the gains made since his first visit to Providence, and his faith that Republicans will cooperate.

“In 2009, we began a campaign to stop deportations. A 30-city tour across America began right here in Providence, and the church was as filled as it is today,” he said to the cheering crowd.

“I came back two years later: we were insisting that families staying together should be our priority,” he said, referring to U.S. deportation policies that have divided families.

“The good news of today, is that 13 or 14 months ago, where Republicans were saying, ‘Oh — 11 million, why don’t they just self-deport?’

“In a couple of weeks, the Republican majority of the House is ready to unveil its immigration reform principles. They are ready to discuss legalization” of undocumented immigrants, he said.

“I am excited about this moment in which we live. But if you think you have nothing to do, you are wrong. Get on the phone; get on the Internet; write a letter. Tell John Boehner to stand by his principles and work with the Democrats to pass immigration reform.”

Cicilline said the current immigration system is broken: “It hurts families; it hurts our communities and it undermines opportunities for economic growth, and we need to fix it now. The good news is, almost everyone agrees with us.”

He cited “a broad coalition of support,” from religious, labor and political leaders and from the American people in general. “I and Congressman Gutiérrez and our co-sponsors in the House, co-sponsored a bill that will provide an earned path to citizenship, among other things.